Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) NATO welcomed the successful operation of the Afghan border forces with the cooperation of NATO who succeeded in detection of a large hide out of 16,000 kg explosives of the Taliban from a heavy truck on the Speenboldakk border.
It is said that the armed Taliban wanted to transport this huge consignment of explosives from Pakistan to Afghanistan for carrying terrorist activities.
The NATO by releasing a letter praised the timely measure of the Afghan forces in detection of this huge consignment of explosives and called it a good sign of strengthened capability of the soldiers against the terrorists.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Khost (BNA) The tribal elders and local officials in a gathering held in Khost city yesterday had described the remarks of Iranian ambassador to Afghanistan as intervention and called upon Iran to stop interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Iranian ambassador in his remarks recently termed the Afghan-US strategic partnership against the regional interest and demanded the national assembly to reject it.
Speakers in the gathering urged Iran to respect the interests of Afghanistan.
The speakers also called upon the government officials not to allow foreigners to violate diplomatic norms and interfere into internal affairs of Afghanistan.
The remarks of Iranian ambassador have been criticized by the lawmakers and intellectual circles in the country.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) The House of People heard a report by the ministers of national defense, interior affairs and deputy foreign minister.
At the meeting chaired by its speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi the agenda of the Chicago conference was discussed.
General Abdul Rahim Wardak Minister of National Defense informed the deputies about the agenda of the Chicago conference and said that it is expected that the international community to continue its assistance to Afghanistan after 2014 as well.
He noted that presently the Afghan security forces reach 352,000 and this will be decreased considering the prevailing situation in the country.
According to the defense minister one of the important issues to be taken up at the Chicago conference is agreement on role of NATO after 2014 in terms of training of Afghan forces and specifying of military advisors for upgrading the capacities and participation of the NATO forces at war.
As regards transition of security General Wardak said that we are now at the start of the third phase of transition and efforts are in that till the middle of 2013 the Afghan forces would have the central role and the NATO forces will take supportive role in the war.
General Besmellah Mohammadi Minister of Interior Affairs confirming the assertions of General Wardak said that the police forces alongside the national army and the national security forces are prepared for defense of the people.
He also accepted low capacities within the police forces and attributed it due to attraction of 95% of less literates and affected of war and added that the attention of the international community in Chicago conference will be focused towards upgrading the capacities of the Afghan police forces. meanwhile, Hazrat Omar Zakhailwal Minister of Finance talked on financial portion of the Afghan security forces and said that the major portion of the police expenses are met from the donor countries assistance while only five percent of its expenses are met from domestic incomes.
Jawed Ludeen deputy foreign minister for political affairs talked on ties of Afghanistan with other countries, signing of long-terms contracts with the countries and the Chicago conference, adding that in the near future the president will sign a long-term cooperation document with Germany.
In the meeting, the deputies asked questions in relation to Afghanistan’s situation after 2014.
The Chicago conference, present security situation of Afghanistan and asked for a comprehensive proposal for Chicago conference by the Afghan government.
They also noted that Afghanistan is facing intervention of the neighboring countries and that in the contracts stopping of existing threats should be considered.

Kabul (BNA) The meeting of ministers of culture of Asia Pacific Region ended yesterday in Dhaka the capital city of Bangladesh with the release of a resolution.

The meeting was held in regard with cultural variety.
According to BNA report from Dhaka, with cooperation of UNESCO, this meeting was held by the government of Bangladesh on Wednesday, May 9th with the speech of Mrs. Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh and the speeches of Ms. Arian Bakova the general director of UNESCO.
On behalf of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, heading a delegation minister of information and culture Dr. Sayed Makhdoom Raheen was attended in this meeting.
In connection with cultural variety, in his speech Dr. Raheen said that the variety of culture as a strengthening point among nations of the region can be a ground for cohesion of the nations and respecting the cultural worthies of each other.
Lit is better than living in a society that all are the same. He added that it is necessary to all join hands and in coordination with each other make effort for preservation of cultural riches.
Dr. Raheen added our several years’ history bestowed to our national culture special variety. The ancestors of this nation created a national joint culture from civilization and great culture.
In every period of history, different tribes are lived and created special cultural variety.
This variety of culture strengthened our national unity and enriched our national culture.
Dr. Reheen asserted that the constitution of Afghanistan respects that variety of culture and presence of different tribes in Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the guardian of this respectfulness.
Despite two official languages, the national media of Afghanistan are published in all national main languages.
Dr. Reheen continued that this pluralism strengthened the cohesion of our society and paved the way for the growth of democracy in the country.
According to another report, Dr. Raheen along with his accompanying delegation and the ambassador and employees of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Bangladesh visited museum and national archive of Bangladesh and respect to the comp of Father of Nation of Bangladesh and leader of the country, late Shaikh Mujiburrahman.

The idea of cultural diversity has a very extensive capacity and is being experienced by people and societies all over the world.
Generally this idea includes people of diverse races, different religions, different Ethnics and Nations. We can find it in different communities, from small villages to big cities and that too all through the world. Diversity is an element of the society and has now become an important part of our live in different aspect. One of the benefits of living in a diverse society is learning about other cultures.
With the aim of living as a community, we all have to understand each other.
If you do not understand another's values, lifestyles, or beliefs, it is much easier to belittle them. And so the seeds of prejudice and intolerance are sown.

Dr.S.M.Raheen also had a look on the history and cultural diversity of Afghanistan:
The country that we today know by the name of Afghanistan is one of the most ancient countries in the world.
As an important trading center of the historical silk route, Afghanistan absorbed and combined many cultures and made it a part of its life style.
We could remember in the history of this country about 3000 years ago the Balkh city and the naissance of the Zoroaster, who was the messenger of peace, justice and kindness for the humanity and creator of the Zoroastrian civilization, that’s one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. Its significant geo-strategic and geopolitical location also played a major role in forming its own cultural variation from great cultures and civilizations as ancient Persia, Greece, Mesopotamia, India and China.
Throughout the ancient, medieval and a part of the modern history the people of Afghanistan or ancient Arianna and medieval Khorassan played a significant role in spreading various religions, while also furthering trade; hence it is not without reason that several dynasties from here established their political and cultural power in the region.
Islam had its important impact on Afghanistan culture; Islamic threads were left in the art, music architecture and poetry of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan all through the history has experienced great cultures such as Zoroastrian, Buddhist arts and culture that later merged with Greek culture, existence of Khorassani and Indian civilization and also the Gandhara art and cultures.
With the emergence of Islamic civilization this country was enriched with arts, culture and architecture of the periods of Ghaznavid, Ghorid and specially timorid.
In consequence the present Afghanistan is a Multilanguage, multicultural and multiethnic country, which is a land of the homogenization of different cultures many inhabitants are bilingual or trilingual,
The life style, the music and traditions are diverse concerning the ethnic groups and this diversity make it difficult to judge the common culture of Afghanistan.
The government of Afghanistan tries to develop the awareness of the society regarding to the value and importance of Cultural diversity, by holding the seminars to this issue and also diverse publication to introduce every ethnic group’s culture and tradition to each other.
We can find these kinds of efforts in every programs of the government, in National Antym, work places, every where the presence of different ethnics group and their own and common cultures are evident.
The ministry of information and culture of Afghanistan in order to its cultural policy, respects the cultural diversity in all its publication and broadcasting, the national TV and all the governmental magazines and newspapers have diverse programs and publications in all spoken languages of the country for the improvement of different ethnic groups cultures.
We can find the respect of cultural diversity in the afghan constitution and all other laws and regulations.

At the end he added:
In consideration the benefits of our cultural diversity we do our best to use the opportunity of this diversity to go towards a peaceful Afghanistan.
I am sure that we can benefit from the cultural diversity to bring nations together, and have a more interesting world in the future.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) Some elders and influential of Darwaz of Badakhshan province met with second vice-president Mohammad Karim Khalili the other day.
Present at this meeting were also Latif Pedram and Fauzia Kufi people’s representatives of Badakhshan at the House of people.
The elders shared their environmental problems especially that of Darwaz.
The elders who are representing five districts of Darwaz of Badakhshan complained that the people of the region during the winter and spring are faced them with immense difficulties.
They reiterated that assistance provided to the people by the government and the international community is inadequate for them as they have more problems to be addressed.
They asked the government to study appropriate ways for solution of their problems.
Khalili expressed pleasure over meeting the elders and representatives of the Darwaz region of province and said that he is aware about the problems the people are encountering and he hoped that building of the circular road can resolve a part of the people there.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) A tri-partite meeting of Afghanistan, Pakistan and ISAF to be held in Rawalpindi city of Pakistan.
At this meeting General John Allen General Commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Shir Mohammad Kairmi Chief of Staffs of Afghan National Defense Ministry and General Ashafaq Parweez Kayani Chief of Staff of Pakistan Defense Ministry will participate.
At this meeting undertaking of measures for coordination of border activities between the two neighboring countries will be taken up.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) The members of the Hajj Commissions presented a report to vice-president Mohammad Karim Khalili in respect to actual cost of Hajjis transport.
At the meeting initially Minister of Hajj and Endowment and deputy minister of transport and civil aviation shared the result of their meetings with the representatives of the Ariana Airlines, Kam Air and Safi Airways in relation to specifying the actual transport costs.
They also advanced their views and proposals. Khalili noted that the government and the people of Afghanistan expect that transport of Hajjis take place on just, honorable manner within the framework of enforced laws of the country.
Governor of Bank Mili and Deputy Governor of the Da-Afghanistan also reported on their meetings with ministry of finance relating to deposit of money by the Hajjis.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) Hamid Karzai the president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan telephoned French elected president Francois Holland over his election as the president of France and congratulated him and the people of France.
In the telephonic conversation held yesterday evening, President Karzai thanked France for its contribution in stabilizing security and scarifying French soldiers in Afghanistan.
The president also noted that the government of Afghanistan respects the decisions of French government towards Afghanistan.
In the conversation, the president also stressed for farther enhancing relations between Afghanistan and France.
It is expected both the countries would talk about the bolstering bilateral relations at Chicago conference.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) The Nationwide Council of Ulema or religious scholars called on President Hamid Karzai yesterday and after meeting presented its resolution.
In the resolution read out by Mawlawi Shahzada Shahid, the council supported the handing over of security responsibility from international troops to Afghan security forces, stating Afghan security forces are capble enough defend the country’s security.
In the resolution, the council also called on the armed oppositions not to close down the doors of schools and instead facilitate the children to go to school.
The resolution also lashed at interfering of the neighboring countries in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, noting no one has the right to disrespect our national sovereignty.
It also called on all the political parties and circles not to insult the belief and honors of Muslims in the name of press freedom.
In the meeting the copy of the strategic pact with US was distributed to the members of the Ulema Council and president Karzai said at the meeting that talks on security within one year would be finalized.
In the meeting held yesterday in Presidential Palace, with the participation of Ulema Council Mawlawi Qayamudin Kashaf and president advisor Nimatulah Shahrani, some of the members of the Ulema Council presented their points of view over the strategic partnership between US and Afghanistan.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Kabul (BNA) A NATO soldier was killed in the south of Afghanistan yesterday.
This foreign military man whose identity has not cleared was killed in armed clash with Taliban.
NATO in a press statement conformed the killing of a soldier but has said nothing about his identity and the exact place of the event.
Meanwhile a man wearing ANA uniform opened fire on the NATO forces in Kunar province in which a soldier was killed and two others injured.
With death of these soldiers, the number of NATO casualties has reached to 150 in 2012 in Afghanistan.
T. Rateb